CFPB: New Report Finds More Americans Are Paying Upfront Fees Seeking to Lower Interest Rates on Mortgages
“Discount points” have uncertain value for borrowers The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a new report today finding that more borrowers paid “discount points” upfront as overall interest rates rose. The percentage of homebuyers paying discount points roughly doubled from 2021 to 2023. The increase was even greater among borrowers with lower credit scores. While…
CFPB: Report Identifies Financial and Privacy Risks to Consumers in Video Gaming Marketplaces
Growth in banking options and payments in gaming leaves consumers’ assets and personal data at risk Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a report examining the growth of financial transactions in online video games and virtual worlds. These platforms increasingly resemble traditional banking and payment systems that facilitate the storage and exchange of…
ABA: ABA & 52 State Bankers Associations Issue Comment Letter to CFPB Explaining that the Market for Overdraft Services is Already Transparent and Competitive
In a detailed comment letter filed today with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the American Bankers Association joined all 52 state bankers associations in explaining why the market for overdraft services is already transparent and competitive, directly challenging the basic premise behind the Bureau’s misguided proposal to impose additional regulation on overdraft protection services. The letter spells…
CFPB: Action Taken to Halt False Claims of “Free” International Money Transfers
CFPB warns remittance transfer providers about false claims regarding cost and speed Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a new circular warning remittance transfer providers that false advertising about the cost or speed of sending a remittance transfer can violate federal law. Companies in the marketplace are charging junk fees on international money…
CFPB: CFPB Joins Federal and State Agencies in Coordinated Statements on Tech & Enforcement
Today, federal and state agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), released agency-specific action statements on tech capacity. These statements reflect concrete actions to increase tech capacity, including actively hiring technologists – which will help enforce the laws on the book and design remedies that work for consumers, workers, small businesses, and others in…
CFPB: 2023 HMDA Loan-Level Data on Mortgage Lending Now Available
The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Modified Loan Application Register (LAR) data for 2023 are now available on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s (FFIEC) HMDA Platform for approximately 5,089 HMDA filers. The published data contain loan-level information filed by financial institutions and modified to protect consumer privacy. To increase public accessibility, the annual loan-level…
ABA: ABA Sues CFPB Over New Regulation Restricting Credit Card Late Fees
The American Bankers Association today joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Longview Chamber of Commerce, Consumer Bankers Association, and Texas Association of Business in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that challenges the CFPB’s new rule limiting…
CFPB: New Final Rule Bans Excessive Credit Card Late Fees, Lowers Typical Fee from $32 to $8
Final rule closes 2010 loophole exploited by credit card giants The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule today to cut excessive credit card late fees by closing a loophole exploited by large card issuers. The rule will curb fees that cost American families more than $14 billion a year. The CFPB estimates that…
CFPB: Guidance Issued to Rein in Rigged Comparison-Shopping Results for Credit Cards and Other Financial Products
Manipulative advertisements and kickbacks undermine competition and can violate federal law The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today issued a circular to law enforcement agencies and regulators explaining how companies operating comparison-shopping tools can break the law when they steer consumers to certain products or lenders because of kickbacks. Consumers use comparison-shopping tools to evaluate the costs,…
CFPB: Rule Proposed to Prohibit NSF Fees on Declined Right at Swipe, Tap, or Click Transactions
Proposed rule would prohibit non-sufficient funds fees on transactions declined right at the swipe, tap, or click The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed today to block banks and other financial institutions from one potential source of new junk fee revenue – fees on transactions declined right at the swipe, tap, or click. The proposed rule…